Jo Ann Emerson on VoteMatch

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VoteMatch Question & Answer (Click on question for explanation and background)	Based on these stances: (Click on topic for excerpt & citation)
Opposes topic 1: Abortion is a woman's unrestricted right (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by NARAL, indicating a pro-life voting record: Strongly Opposes topic 1 Rated 80% by the NRLC, indicating a mixed record on abortion: Neutral on topic 1 Bar funding for abortion under federal Obamacare plans: Opposes topic 1 Prohibit federal funding for abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on barring transporting minors to get an abortion: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortions: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning Family Planning funding in US aid abroad: Opposes topic 1 YES on Unknown roll call for 2001-89: Opposes topic 1 YES on funding for health providers who don't provide abortion info: Opposes topic 1 YES on banning partial-birth abortion except to save mother’s life: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on making it a crime to harm a fetus during another crime: Opposes topic 1 YES on restricting interstate transport of minors to get abortions: Strongly Opposes topic 1 YES on allowing human embryonic stem cell research: Favors topic 1 YES on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines: Favors topic 1
Opposes topic 2: Legally require hiring women & minorities (+2 points on Economic scale)	Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks: Favors topic 2 Rated 47% by NAACP, indicating a mixed record on affirmative-action: Neutral on topic 2 Supported funding for women's and disadvantaged businesses: Favors topic 2 YES on ending preferential treatment by race in college admissions: Opposes topic 2 NO on $84 million in grants for Black and Hispanic colleges: Strongly Opposes topic 2
Strongly Opposes topic 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance: Strongly Opposes topic 3 Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on banning gay adoptions in DC: Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage: Strongly Opposes topic 3 YES on Constitutionally defining marriage as one-man-one-woman: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation: Strongly Opposes topic 3 NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes: Opposes topic 3
Strongly Favors topic 4: Keep God in the public sphere (-5 points on Social scale)	Supports anti-flag desecration amendment: Favors topic 4 Rated 90% by the Christian Coalition: a pro-Family-Value voting record: Strongly Favors topic 4 Sponsored bill to Constitutionally prohibit flag desecration: Strongly Favors topic 4 Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on responsible fatherhood via faith-based organizations: Favors topic 4 YES on treating religious organizations equally for tax breaks: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror: Strongly Favors topic 4 YES on constitutional amendment prohibiting flag desecration: Favors topic 4 YES on protecting the Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4 NO on allowing Courts to decide on "God" in Pledge of Allegiance: Favors topic 4
Opposes topic 5: Expand ObamaCare (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 33% by APHA, indicating a mixed record on public health issues: Neutral on topic 5 Repeal the Job-Killing Health Care Law: Strongly Opposes topic 5 Repeal ObamaCare reporting requirements for small business: Opposes topic 5 Expand medical savings accounts for employers & individuals: Opposes topic 5 Establishment of Office of Health Care Fraud Prevention: Opposes topic 5 Supported funding women's health needs: Neutral on topic 5 YES on giving mental health full equity with physical health: Favors topic 5 YES on Veto override: Extend SCHIP to cover 6M more kids: Strongly Favors topic 5 YES on repealing the "Prevention and Public Health" slush fund: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts: Opposes topic 5 YES on establishing tax-exempt Medical Savings Accounts: Opposes topic 5 YES on subsidizing private insurance for Medicare Rx drug coverage: Opposes topic 5 YES on allowing reimportation of prescription drugs: Favors topic 5 YES on capping damages & setting time limits in medical lawsuits: Opposes topic 5 NO on limited prescription drug benefit for Medicare recipients: Favors topic 5 YES on denying non-emergency treatment for lack of Medicare co-pay: Strongly Opposes topic 5 YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D: Favors topic 5 YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility: Favors topic 5 YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare: Favors topic 5 YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program: Favors topic 5 YES on regulating tobacco as a drug: Favors topic 5
Favors topic 6: Privatize Social Security (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 38% by the ARA, indicating a mixed record on senior issues: Neutral on topic 6 Supported pension reform and tax credits for long-term care: Neutral on topic 6 NO on strengthening the Social Security Lockbox: Favors topic 6 YES on reducing tax payments on Social Security benefits: Favors topic 6 YES on raising 401(k) limits & making pension plans more portable: Favors topic 6
Strongly Favors topic 7: Vouchers for school choice (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on reauthorizing the DC opportunity scholarship program: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on vouchers for private & parochial schools: Strongly Favors topic 7 YES on allowing vouchers in DC schools: Favors topic 7 NO on $40B for green public schools: Favors topic 7
Favors topic 8: Society bears cost of pollution (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 0% by the LCV, indicating anti-environment votes: Strongly Favors topic 8 Stop considering manure as pollutant or hazardous: Favors topic 8 Strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting: Strongly Opposes topic 8 YES on deauthorizing "critical habitat" for endangered species: Strongly Favors topic 8 NO on environmental education grants for outdoor experiences: Favors topic 8 NO on protecting free-roaming horses and burros: Favors topic 8
Neutral on topic 9: Stricter punishment reduces crime (0 points on Social scale)	Rated 30% by CURE, indicating anti-rehabilitation crime votes: Strongly Favors topic 9 Moratorium on death penalty; more DNA testing: Opposes topic 9 Require DNA testing for all federal executions: Opposes topic 9 Rated 0% by the NAPO, indicating a police-the-police stance: Strongly Opposes topic 9 YES on more prosecution and sentencing for juvenile crime: Favors topic 9 NO on funding for alternative sentencing instead of more prisons.: Strongly Favors topic 9 YES on expanding services for offenders' re-entry into society: Opposes topic 9
Strongly Favors topic 10: Absolute right to gun ownership (+5 points on Economic scale)	No lawsuits against gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10 Rated A by the NRA, indicating a pro-gun rights voting record: Strongly Favors topic 10 National cross-state standard for concealed carry: Strongly Favors topic 10 Teach kids Eddie Eagle GunSafe's lifesaving message: Favors topic 10 Allow veterans to register unlicensed guns acquired abroad: Favors topic 10 Individual right to self-defense at home and as self-defense: Strongly Favors topic 10 Ban gun registration & trigger lock law in Washington DC: Strongly Favors topic 10 NO on decreasing gun waiting period from 3 days to 1: Strongly Opposes topic 10 YES on prohibiting suing gunmakers & sellers for gun misuse: Strongly Favors topic 10 YES on prohibiting product misuse lawsuits on gun manufacturers: Strongly Favors topic 10
Strongly Opposes topic 11: Higher taxes on the wealthy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Reduce the capital gains tax : Strongly Opposes topic 11 Phaseout the death tax: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Rated 54% by NTU, indicating "Satisfactory" on tax votes: Neutral on topic 11 Rated 0% by the CTJ, indicating opposition to progressive taxation: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Taxpayer Protection Pledge: no new taxes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Supports the Taxpayer Protection Pledge: Strongly Opposes topic 11 Tax incentives for child care; eliminate marriage penalty: Neutral on topic 11 YES on eliminating the "marriage penalty": Opposes topic 11 YES on $46 billion in tax cuts for small business: Opposes topic 11 YES on Tax cut package of $958 B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on reducing Marriage Tax by $399B over 10 years: Opposes topic 11 YES on eliminating the Estate Tax ("death tax"): Opposes topic 11 YES on making the Bush tax cuts permanent: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on providing tax relief and simplification: Strongly Opposes topic 11 YES on retaining reduced taxes on capital gains & dividends: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on paying for AMT relief by closing offshore business loopholes: Strongly Opposes topic 11 NO on extending AMT exemptions to avoid hitting middle-income: Favors topic 11
Strongly Opposes topic 12: Pathway to citizenship for illegal aliens (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated 100% by FAIR, indicating a voting record restricting immigration: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated 100% by USBC, indicating a sealed-border stance: Strongly Opposes topic 12 Rated B+ by the ALI, indicating an acceptably anti-amnesty stance: Opposes topic 12 Declare English as the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 Declared English the official language of the US: Opposes topic 12 NO on more immigrant visas for skilled workers: Opposes topic 12 NO on reporting illegal aliens who receive hospital treatment: Strongly Favors topic 12 YES on preventing tipping off Mexicans about Minuteman Project: Strongly Opposes topic 12 YES on building a fence along the Mexican border: Strongly Opposes topic 12
Favors topic 13: Support & expand free trade (+2 points on Economic scale)	Rated 50% by CATO, indicating a mixed record on trade issues: Neutral on topic 13 Impose tariffs against countries which manipulate currency: Opposes topic 13 Rated 75% by the USAE, indicating support for trade engagement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on 'Fast Track' authority for trade agreements: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on withdrawing from the WTO: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement: Strongly Favors topic 13 YES on implementing free trade agreement with Chile: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement: Opposes topic 13 YES on end offshore tax havens and promote small business: Opposes topic 13 YES on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade: Strongly Favors topic 13 NO on assisting workers who lose jobs due to globalization: Favors topic 13 YES on promoting free trade with Peru: Favors topic 13
Strongly Favors topic 14: Support American Exceptionalism (+5 points on Economic scale)	Allow travel between the United States and Cuba: Opposes topic 14 NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations: Favors topic 14 NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding: Strongly Favors topic 14 YES on continuing intelligence gathering without civil oversight: Favors topic 14 YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad: Strongly Favors topic 14
Favors topic 15: Expand the military (-3 points on Social scale)	Rated 11% by SANE, indicating a pro-military voting record: Strongly Favors topic 15 Improve mental health care benefits for returning veterans: Favors topic 15 Recognize women veterans; assist military families: Neutral on topic 15 YES on $266 billion Defense Appropriations bill: Favors topic 15 YES on deploying SDI: Favors topic 15 YES on emergency $78B for war in Iraq & Afghanistan: Strongly Favors topic 15 YES on continuing military recruitment on college campuses: Favors topic 15 YES on restricting no-bid defense contracts: Strongly Opposes topic 15
Favors topic 16: Make voter registration easier (+2 points on Social scale)	Ban stock trading based on Congressional insider knowledge: Strongly Favors topic 16 Repeal automatic Congressional pay raises: Favors topic 16 NO on banning soft money and issue ads: Opposes topic 16 YES on banning soft money donations to national political parties: Favors topic 16 NO on campaign finance reform banning soft-money contributions: Opposes topic 16 YES on restricting independent grassroots political committees: Opposes topic 16
Strongly Opposes topic 17: Avoid foreign entanglements (-5 points on Social scale)	Boycott & sanctions against Iran for terrorism & nukes: Opposes topic 17 Iranian nuclear weapons: prevention instead of containment: Strongly Opposes topic 17 Sanctions on Iran to end nuclear program: Opposes topic 17 NO on removing US armed forces from Afghanistan: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on banning armed forces in Libya without Congressional approval: Favors topic 17 YES on authorizing military force in Iraq: Strongly Opposes topic 17 YES on declaring Iraq part of War on Terror with no exit date: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on redeploying US troops out of Iraq starting in 90 days: Strongly Opposes topic 17 NO on investigating Bush impeachment for lying about Iraq: Opposes topic 17
Strongly Opposes topic 18: Prioritize green energy (+5 points on Economic scale)	Rated 17% by the CAF, indicating opposition to energy independence: Opposes topic 18 Bar greenhouse gases from Clean Air Act rules: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Signed the No Climate Tax Pledge by AFP: Strongly Opposes topic 18 Drill the Outer Continental Shelf; & license new nuke plants: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on tax incentives for renewable energy: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on barring EPA from regulating greenhouse gases: Opposes topic 18 YES on opening Outer Continental Shelf to oil drilling: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on starting implementation of Kyoto Protocol: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on raising CAFE standards; incentives for alternative fuels: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on prohibiting oil drilling & development in ANWR: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on authorizing construction of new oil refineries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on scheduling permitting for new oil refinieries: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on keeping moratorium on drilling for oil offshore: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on removing oil & gas exploration subsidies: Strongly Favors topic 18 NO on investing in homegrown biofuel: Strongly Opposes topic 18 YES on criminalizing oil cartels like OPEC: Favors topic 18 NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation: Strongly Opposes topic 18 NO on tax credits for renewable electricity, with PAYGO offsets: Opposes topic 18 NO on enforcing limits on CO2 global warming pollution: Opposes topic 18 YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program: Favors topic 18
Strongly Favors topic 19: Marijuana is a gateway drug (-5 points on Social scale)	Rated -30 by NORML, indicating a "hard-on-drugs" stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 Rated 25% by NORML, indicating an anti-legalization stance: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on subjecting federal employees to random drug tests: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on prohibiting needle exchange & medical marijuana in DC: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on military border patrols to battle drugs & terrorism: Strongly Favors topic 19 YES on more funding for Mexico to fight drugs: Favors topic 19
Strongly Favors topic 20: Stimulus better than market-led recovery (-5 points on Economic scale)	YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy: Strongly Favors topic 20 YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending: Strongly Favors topic 20